ABSTRACT
Picture Thomas Jefferson debating Alexander Hamilton in rap battle format. After delivering a particularly caustic strings of insults, Jefferson says “hey, and if ya don’t know, now ya know.” This reference to Biggie Small’s “Juicy” flies over the heads of the traditional Broadway demographic and is encoded with a hidden message to hip-hop fans: “I speak your language.” There are many moments like this in the Hamilton hip-hop musical, an awe-inspiring portrayal of the life of Alexander Hamilton and the founding of the United States. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator, lyricist, and star of Hamilton consciously includes points of reference that speak to the aesthetic sensibilities of a new generation of theater audiences. Hamilton employs a multi-racial cast with people of color portraying the founding fathers of the United States. The play deftly trapezes the space-time continuumcollapsing the boundaries between performance genres and generations, in a manner that delights and forwards our cultural imaginary.
